The Borough Residents' Forum met on Thursday 21 November 2024 to discuss significant updates on the Local Plan, the rollout of food waste recycling, and the implications of the Grenfell Tower inquiry. Key decisions included the proposed increase in affordable housing targets within the Local Plan and the confirmation that replacement food waste bin liners will remain free for residents.

Local Plan Partial Review

The Council is moving into a critical phase of reviewing its Local Plan, with a public consultation planned for January 2025. The review specifically focuses on maximising affordable housing, with proposals aiming for at least 50% of new homes on large development sites to be affordable, and 70% of those to be for social rent. Developments of fewer than 10 homes will be required to make a financial contribution towards new affordable housing. The Principal Planner explained that a viability assessment has been conducted to ensure these policies do not unduly burden developers, and that mechanisms exist for genuine cases where policies cannot be met. The distinction between affordable housing and social housing was clarified, with social rent being the most affordable type, typically 50% below market rent.

Food Waste Rollout on Housing Estates

The Council is implementing a new food waste recycling service across all properties by March 2026, as mandated by government legislation. Phase one, which began in June, has focused on low-rise properties, with phase two now set to roll out to housing estates using communal bins. Residents will receive a kitchen caddy, liners, and information leaflets. Concerns were raised about the language of communications, the frequency of bin cleaning, pest control, and the potential for bin contamination. The Assistant Director of Waste and Street Cleansing assured the Forum that plans for bin siting are still being developed and that individual estates will be communicated with directly. While there are no current plans to translate leaflets into other languages, the team will explore this with the Communications team and ensure leaflets are visually driven. The free provision of replacement food waste liners was confirmed, and the Council is exploring options for future re-assessment of this. Residents' Associations will be notified in advance of site visits.

Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report Findings

The Forum received an update on the impact of the Grenfell Tower Fire Phase Two Report, published on 4th September 2024. The report was critical of various parties involved in the management and cladding of Grenfell Tower, including the Council, the Tenant Management Organisation, consultants, architects, and manufacturers. While the report made no direct recommendations for social landlords due to existing legislative changes, it highlighted potential impacts on the Council, such as a possible redefinition of high-rise buildings and a reconsideration of the 'stay put' evacuation strategy. The Council has already taken steps to reduce fire safety risks, including stripping and recladding three blocks, fitting premises information boxes, and installing carbon monoxide alarms. The Director of Housing Management confirmed that the Council is actively involved in building safety inspections and is preparing Building Safety Case Reports for its 148 high-rise blocks. Residents raised the need for advice on enhancing communal areas without creating fire risks, and the Council confirmed a pragmatic approach to enforcement in this area.

Tenant Satisfaction Measures Submission Data

Wandsworth's submission of the 2023-2024 Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) was presented, showing an overall tenant satisfaction increase from 54% to 64%, exceeding the regional benchmark of 59%. The report detailed performance across five themes: keeping properties in good repair, maintaining building safety, respectful and helpful engagement, effective handling of complaints, and responsible neighbourhood management. While satisfaction with repairs saw a decrease, satisfaction with home maintenance and the time taken to complete repairs showed improvements. Building safety checks, including fire safety, gas safety, and lift safety, generally met or exceeded targets, though initial figures for asbestos and water safety checks were below expectations, with significant improvements noted by October 2024. Tenant satisfaction with respectful engagement and neighbourhood management also saw positive increases. However, satisfaction with the landlord's approach to handling complaints remained low at 16%, a decrease from the previous year, though the volume of complaints per 1,000 homes is lower than comparable London boroughs. A focus group is planned for March 2025 to address areas of underperformance, particularly in complaints handling and repairs satisfaction.

Vulnerable Residents' Policy

A new Vulnerable Residents' Policy has been developed to consolidate existing procedures for Housing Department staff when interacting with residents with identified vulnerabilities. The policy aims to ensure equitable service delivery, with a focus on recording vulnerability data to facilitate reasonable adjustments and ensure residents' needs are met and their views heard. The policy defines vulnerable residents as individuals less able or unable to care for themselves or protect themselves from exploitation or harm, with specific groups like the elderly, those isolated from support, and individuals with learning, physical, or sensory needs, or mental health issues, being more likely to require support. The policy outlines how staff should identify vulnerabilities, manage information securely, and tailor communications and approaches, including providing information in alternative formats and allowing more time for responses. Training sessions for housing staff are planned to ensure effective implementation. The Equality Impact and Needs Assessment (EINA) found no negative impact on protected groups, with the policy expected to have a positive impact across all groups.